Exciting Times for Netflix, Roku & the Microsoft Xbox 360

...While some have speculated that the current Roku box can't do HD streaming, and is the reason why Netflix (NFLX) does not offer HD video quality, this is not the case. Roku confirmed for me yesterday that the current version of its Roku box is currently capable of streaming HD quality video. The lack of an HD offering by Netflix via the Roku box is not due to any technical limitation of the Roku hardware.

 

While Netflix won't say what its time line is for adding HD quality video via Roku and its watch now service, it did comment to say that its HD rollout would be modest to start. To me, that makes sense. Netlfix is kicking off streaming to the Microsoft (MSFT) XBOX 360 next month, has just added Mac support for the watch now service, thanks to Silverlight, and is adding more content from the likes of Starz and CBS to its library. Netflix will bring the HD content, but all in due time.

This is a an exciting time for Netflix, Roku and the XBOX 360. Between new console updates, Netflix streaming on the XBOX 360, Mac support for Netflix's watch now service and additional funding for Roku, things are really heating up.

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